Acute phase protein response in Alpine ibex with sarcoptic mange

The acute phase proteins (APP) are a group of serum proteins that change their concentration in animals following external or internal challenges, such as infection, inflammation or stress. The concentrations of four APPs, including serum amyloid A (SAA), haptoglobin (Hp), α1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) and ceruloplasmin (Cp) were determined in serum collected from healthy Alpine ibexes (Capra ibex) and ibexes with Sarcoptes scabiei mange. Primary structures of all four APPs were determined by cDNA sequencing. The concentrations of all four APPs were higher in serum of animals with clinical signs of sarcoptic mange when compared to healthy animals. Two of the APPs, including SAA and AGP, acted as major APPs, since their serum concentrations were increased more than 10-folds when compared to healthy animals (P < 0.001). The other two APPs, including Hp and Cp, acted as minor acute phase proteins, as their concentrations were increased from two to five folds (P < 0.001). These findings provide a remarkable potential as diagnostic markers for the early detection of sarcoptic mange in free ranging animals.